Activity Log

July 25
Time: 43:44
Distance: 2.52 miles
Calories Burned: 171


Time: 22:18
Distance: 1.39 miles
Calories Burned: 100


July 28
Time: 26.29
Distance: 1.53 miles
Calories Burned: 103


These were all my walks with Haiden :) And today when I walked I finally got my new shoes!! 

I feel like I'm walking on clouds! And if it hadn't been all thundery and lightning on our way back from getting them, I would have taken Haiden for a jog with me. And even though I wasn't able to get the barefoot shoes, I am still going to try and jog as if I had them. That way my feet absorb the shock instead of my legs. I also cleaned off the jogging stroller and aired up the tires earlier this week so it was all ready to go for our first spin today! 

As you can see, Haiden loved it! And I'm glad we met Zach and his friend after their half day at Habitat to eat Subway in the air conditioning and then get my shoes!!! 

When we got home I make Haiden his first homemade baby food!!

Corn!! I didn't see any corn baby food at the store, and we love corn, so I went ahead and used our Magic Bullet (which we got just for this purpose) and after I steamed the corn, I pureed it and then mixed it with some carrots and barley! Haiden ate it like a champ, until he started playing and not eating, so we stopped. Tomorrow we are going to get the silicon ice cube trays so I can start stocking up on homemade baby food, that we are going to mix with our WIC baby food. 

I am super excited, and taking baby steps in order to get things done that I want to get done. I have gone through a ton of Woman's Day magazines, my mom saved for me, and have been writing down recipes like crazy! They also have a few awesome craft ideas I can use the formula containers for, and maybe some of the baby food jars! That is going to be my task for next week, do a project! I already bought all the ribbons and things a week or so ago, so all I have to do is DO IT! 

This weekend we are also FINALLY making our reservations for our trip to Pensacola, Florida to have a re-commitment ceremony for our one year anniversary. We are thinking about doing it every year, just taking a weekend to go out and do something fun. 

Family Reunion

As I'm posting this, I'm reading some follow up stories of the shooting in Aurora, Colorado at the Batman premier Friday night...please keep all of those family's involved in your thoughts and for a safe recovery for those still left in the hospital, along with those family's who lost loved ones as well. Be safe everyone.


Now on to something a little more up-beat...
HAIDEN CAN GIVE KISSES!!!!
This makes my day! We have thought he was attempting to do them, when it looked more like he was trying to say "Bah, Bah", without saying anything...he now makes the kissing smoochy sound with his tongue, but it is totally an all out KISS!!! 

On the few days before he actually turns 6 months he is giving kisses, and has rolled over twice (when no one was around to see it happen). I am convinced there are elves in his room that mess with me when I step out for a second to grab the clothes from the dryer, and flip Haiden over!  He is a master at eating his solid food dinners, which we are needing to add a few more of those into his day, as these next few weeks unfold. He says "Da-Da" when he is happy, and "Ma-Ma" when he is sad, with a side of "Baatle", which we are convinced he is crying bottle! We are so excited that we have such a cute and awesome baby :) 




This passed weekend, my cousin Josh came to town with his loverly fiance', Vanessa! They came in Friday evening and we invited another couple over to play games with us! We played TrueColors and Balderdash (the new version with five categories: definition, laughable laws, movie meaning, peculiar person, and silly abbreviations) they were sooooo much fun! I made some yummy snacks too!

Microwave Fudge (via Elyssa Grant's Grandma)

In a large bowl, put:

3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

1 stick butter-cut into 8 pieces

1 Tbs vanilla

DO NOT STIR! Put in microwave for 1-1/2 - 2 minutes on high. Beat until smooth, Add in nuts if desired (I just plopped some pecans on top). Put in greased 8 in square pan. Freeze for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 45 minutes. Cut and Enjoy, it is freaking easy and so amazingly delicious!

S'mores Bars 

8-10 Graham Crackers

1 pkg brownie mix

2 cups mini-marshmallows

1 cup (6oz) chocolate chips

2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greased 13X9X2in baking pan. Prep brownie mi according to package. Spread over graham crackers. Bake 350 degrees 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate ships and peanuts. Bake 5 minutes until marshmallows are slightly puffed and golden brown.

California Black Bean Dip (via Mrs. Sherry)

No picture because this got hoovered while we made the pizza and pepperoni rolls!

2 cans black beans, drained

2 cups corn, drained

1 cup Ranch dressing

1/2 cup Italian dressing 

2 Tbs parsley/cilantro

1 Tbs Tabasco

1 Tbs chili powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1 small onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill for 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips. Party it up and Enjoy!! This has been one of my favorite dips ever since I've known the Sherry family...so going on 21 years! And now I have the recipe; it makes me so happy!

Then the next morning, everyone slept like champs; except Haiden, Zach and I :D We went to lunch, which we decided to name Brinner since it was a breakfast-lunch-early dinner at Parrot Pete's which is our favorite place to take people when they visit! 

We took the ferry from our side of the Mississippi, right onto Canal Street, in the middle of New Orleans! 

Everyone riding the Algiers/Canal Street Ferry! Keeping the car in Algiers, ready to walk all over NOLA! 
Then we walked aaaall over NOLA, just seeing the sights: 

First stop Jackson Square

And there was a wedding right in the middle of the square! So we stayed to watch, to end a debate over "how to do a proper wedding kiss" 

It was such a picturesque day, perfect for a wedding!

And in the Square, there were also banana trees, which also coincidentally ended another debate we were having from Parrot Pete's that morning!! 

The weirdest thing that I saw, were the "horse"
drawn buggies for tourists...that were
 ALL driven by MULES! And there were white
 ones-never knew there could be white mules either!! 

Across from Jackson Square is this huuuge church, with about 30 or so fortune tellers out front and this little alley...

   

 And then we headed to Bourbon Street, which even during the day is full of crazy characters! 

Then some more walking happened, we stopped by the Mask Shoppe, a place Josh and Vanessa always stop at when they come to town, to get a skull. 

Zach and I got a coffee mug and some post cards to send to our parents!

We ended up back on Bourbon after some more walking around to eat dinner. We ate at a balcony cafe place, that I can't remember the name of right now! But we saw boobies!!! I had no idea it was an all time thing, but at the bar next to us, they were throwing down beads...and women were flashing their titties!! 

 Then we left Bourbon Street
to give Haiden to the neighbor
to watch (first time he has ever had a babysitter that wasn't family!!) and then we headed back out to Bourbon for the night life!
There were kitties living under the ferry terminal, with beds and kitty food everywhere!! 

And this was Haiden after his long day around NOLA

NOLA Night Life!!!

We head back to NOLA with our neighbor Q in tow, and first we get Vanessa a sash, since this is her last weekend in Louisiana before the wedding, and we wanted to send her off the right way! Then all got hand grenades!

 Me, Zach and Q with our Hand Grenades in tow, on our way to the Beach! At the Beach, as soon as we walk in, the shot girls attack us, and Vanessa and I both take one from her, and then we took more shots from Zach and Josh. The shot girl was like "Take one from him [Zach]" to Vanessa and I was like "That's my husband!" And Vanessa was like "He's not mine!" lol! Then we headed to the dance floor to dance it up! 

I went up to the DJ at the Beach to request 80's and for the first time EVER, he said NO! "That was like 40 years ago!" What a lame DJ to not be able to mix some 80's dance music like MJ or Whitney Houston in with today's dance music!  

A pic with the girl we were dancing with, and we 

were off to Coyote Ugly! 

 

At Coyote Ugly it was pretty dead, but they made Vanessa and me do body shots! I accidentally spit mine all over the poor girl! 

Vanessa saw this girl in the bathroom at some random bar/restaurant and wanted to take a picture with her and her awesome shoes!  

Heading back home at 5:30 am without Q, who grabbed a cab earlier, a girl on the sidewalk asked us to use a phone, because she was new to town and stranded without a phone. While we were talking with her, waiting for her friend to find her, Vanessa realized she was sitting next to a rabid pigeon! Look at those beady little eyes!! 

We made it home around 6:30 am and picked up Haiden who was sleeping like an angel! And promptly all went to sleep. 
Vanessa and Josh left around noon-ish, while I was still in bed lol. My body ached for a whole two and a half days, too much walking, dancing, and having fun for this momma! All in all, we had a freaking fantastic, even if it was freakishly expensive, and finally partied down town for the first time since we've been here! (At least for me, everyone else had already been there and done that. But we did it together and had a BLAST!) 

Is it lunch yet?

Zach and I have decided to re-new our vows at our one year anniversary. We went to a wedding on the beach a few months after we got married, and we thought that would be the perfect place to re-new our vows for our one year. Debbie (Zach's mom) is going to come to NOLA August 17th, and the morning of the 18th, we will be going to Pensacola, Florida and spending the night, coming back to NOLA sometime on Sunday. 
With that being the case, I need to get in shape...FAST! lol. Last night I made up my mind to go ahead and start this morning! I told Zach to wake me up when he was going to go to PT and I would go with him. When that time came, I thought there is no way it's morning yet...I just went to sleep. But alas, it was morning and I thought, screw this! I was a grouchy monster and almost didn't go. Then I thought about our beach adventure coming up in a few short weeks...and jumped up out of bed, ready to go! 


I started out slow, since I haven't been to the gym since right after my 6 week check up:
Walked on the Treadmill for 10 minutes: burned 56 calories
Did the Elliptical for 11 minutes: burned 87 calories
Did 75 crunches and some arm work outs with 10 pound weights.

All of this before 7:45am! Then Haiden and I dropped Zach off at work, and went to the commissary to get creamer and powdered sugar (I will be making fudge very soon!) and waited for the NEX to open so I could look at running shoes (I have the new balance shape-up type walking shoe) and cologne for Zach. 

Haiden was such a good and happy baby throughout the whole early early morning ordeal. Once we got to the NEX all the workers were all goo-goo over him, and of course...classic Angello, Haiden was being a huuuuuge flirt! We found a cologne for Zach, but I'm gonna let him check it out first since it's a tad different than his normal colognes I've gotten him in the past. And I tried to get some NewBalance Minimus shoes, but those gouged the back of my ankle and was starting to rum me raw, which would be a no bueno to try and run in them at all. They are like those toe-shoes everyone has and would be perfect to start out with those for barefoot running, which I REALLY want to get into, but I guess I'll have to keep looking for something similar that will work. So I tried on the Reebok RealFlex Optimal shoes, which I had been wanting, even though they aren't going to help barefoot run, they will transition me from the walks that I take Haiden on, to running with him. The NewBalance are also in my FAVORITE color!! The magenta Reebok are the only ones at the NEX that are ultra-thin, but I saw some at Academy that were grey and black with neon green or blue soles. Either way, I can dig pink shoes! lol. And I'm excited about getting them regardless! 

               

But check out these bad boys!

Tortilla Lasagna 

Yields: 8 servings
1 pound ground beef (I used turkey)
1 cup water
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used chipolte)
1-1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon cornmeal (I did not use this)
10 flour tortillas
1 jar (8oz) salsa (I used rotel)
1 small onion, sliced


1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in water and taco seasoning, garlic powder and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and chili powder. Sprinkle cornmeal into a greased 13X9in baking dish.
3. Arrange 5 tortillas, overlapping, in the bottom of the prepared dish; spread with 1/2 cup salsa. Layer with half of the meat mixture, onion and sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 cups cheese mix. Repeat layers. 
4. Bake uncovered, at 375 for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mix. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. 


You really need to let it stand for the ten minutes, or else you will need a knife and sme patients to cut it.


A vegetarian option would be:
Instead of meat use mushrooms, bell peppers, and extra rotel or tomatoes. Even olives could be added as well. 


A healthier option would be to use less cheese and sour cream (we did) and use spinach or wheat tortillas instead of the flour. 


Enjoy!! It is another killer dish, super delicious!

I love my friends!

So this is just to let everyone know, how crafty and amazing my friends are:


Linds is one of my favorite people in the whole world! She has created a blog full of super awesome vegetarian dishes and oober healthy yummy foods, as well as updates on her sweet daughter Reese, and their upcoming addition! She loves the vintage and old classic black and white romances, as well as novel writing! She became my friend when I moved to Ohio back in 2005 and worked at Borders! I still talk to everyone I worked with, but Linds and I have a special bond! We are now both married with babies, and love being creative in food, crafts and family activities. If you need a true inspiration, check out her amazing blog and share in her love of all things girlishly chic and healthy! 

Bri is one of the friends I have had so many crazy times with, our kids will hear about them as they grow up. Even though I broke her ACL and she elbow punched me in the eye, making it swell shut for a day...we were still able to remain friends! Our friendship started from being low on the totem pole during our short basketball careers in junior high, and has remained strong, traveling across the country to see each other, even leaving the US to have a good time! Bri is one of my friends who has it all: she is a Fighting Texas Aggie graduate and where's her ring proudly for all to see, has a wonderful career as a Landscaping Architect, has her trusty bird Lacie (who has been through it all for the passed 13 or so years!), and is in a loving relationship where both their dreams have come together in such a beautiful way. If you want to check out her chatter, photography and her landscaping portfolio, then check out her website! She designed the whole thing herself...um AWESOME! 

Grace and I went to high school together, and our circles intertwined here and there. We have stayed in touch via Facebook and I have followed her amazing journey these last few years. She is another amazing individual with so much passion and drive, it's intense!! She does it all: film making, directing, editing, making shorts, writing screen plays, short stories, novels! I mean, there is seriously nothing this girl cannot do!! Check out her blog and enter the world, some of us only dream of, the world of film making and novel writing, and making it all happen!! 

Important Update!!

Zach just told me, they are scheduling Zach for battery school!!! One more step to being a more awesomer Sailor :D 


(I did just say more followed by awesomer!!)

If all the raindrops were...

Broccoli-Chicken Cups

Yield: 10-12 servings

2 tubes (10 ounces each) refrigerated biscuit dough

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1-1/3 cups rice cereal (*I did not use this)

1 cup cubed cooked chicken

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained

-Place the biscuits in greased muffin cups, pressing dough over the bottom and up the sides. Add 1 Tsp cheese and cereal to each cup.

-In a large bowl, combine chicken, soup, and broccoli; spoon into cups. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

These are delicious!! Oh my goodness!! Ridiculous good! Plus we had plenty of left overs for lunch/snacks and dinner last night. 

Haiden

Haiden and I went to the Mommy and Me class Wednesday! I always have a blast, watching Haiden watch all the little kids run around and play. He is still too small to play the games and sing the songs, but I help him out and he giggles and giggles! It's so sweet. Plus I think Haiden is a big hit with the instructors lol, they are always amazed at how big he is and how alert he is. 

We did a craft, like always. We used markers to color this star, which I think is a little like coffee filter material, and then we sprinkled water on it to make the colors bleed. Haiden actually held the markers and made all the coloring himself, I just made sure...as much as I could with his spazing hands...to keep the markers on the paper and not the table, and try to keep his other hand from grabbing the star to crinkle it. He used both hands, since we aren't wanting to force either on him, we try to alternate as much as possible. If you look at the star, you can see the circles from where he would slam down the marker out of pure excitement! However, when it came to sprinkling the star with water, Haiden wanted nothing to do with that, so I ended up doing most of that part. Even though Haiden is super young to do most of the activities, I think it's important to socialize him and get him used to figuring out things for himself, with a little help from mommy :D. 

As far as the eating solids goes, Haiden is doing amazing! The first try was decent, the second try (I just used rice cereal without formula) was an epic fail, eating only 3 bites. The third try, he was so aggravated from teething, that he cried and cried, but wanted to eat, so we stuck it out. When we got about half way done, he calmed down and finished eating with out any more tears. Then last night, he wanted to eat so bad, that if I didn't get the food in his mouth in time, his hand would go in and he would cry...I could barely keep up! And when his bowl was empty he cried, but he had already had his night time bottle, and I thought, 'if he eats any more he will explode!' We also got him a mini-highchair that sits on our dinning room table, which Haiden loves! I am just so proud of him, it's so hard to NOT compare your baby with all the other babies, and everything there is to read about babies. He still isn't rolling over, and it's hit or miss with him sitting up on his own, but he eats well, he is so good at holding his toys and switching them flawlessly from hand to hand. Plus he has been able to hold his head up with no problems, pretty much since he was born, as well as supporting his weight with his legs. Tummy time is getting to be more and more fun, which I'm thankful for, because knowing your baby needs to do something but he hates it and cries, is unbearable. It's all a give and take, he can do some things, but he isn't great at other things...no biggie. He is our blessing, and our miracle baby, so either way he gets kisses and hugs no matter what!!! 

Zach

Zach has had security detail the last two days, which means long days (4am-6pm). He is so exhausted, but super cute, when he walks in the door and can't wait to see Haiden! Haiden gets so happy and giggley, having been sick of mommy for about 3 hours lol. Zach can't wait for the day he comes home and Haiden runs to the door yelling, "Daddy! Daddy!" The two of them together, melts my heart. I can see so much of Zach in Haiden. And today, I have also been up since Zach got up...so a long day for all of us! 

PS. INTERNATIONAL DELIGHTS YORK PEPPERMINT PATTY CREAMER....AMAAAAAAAAAZING!!!

Dinner, Diet, Doing it right

For starters I've cooked a few delicious goodies this last week:

Makeover Chicken Cheese Enchiladas

(next time I'm going to try a vegetarian version of this) 

Yields: 6 servings


1-1/2 cups (12 oz) reduced-fat sour cream 
1 can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies (I used Rotel)
1 can sliced black olives
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 fat-free flour tortillas
4 green onions, thinly sliced
*For a vegetarian option, I think I am going to try and use: 1 extra can of Rotel, and instead of chicken use mushrooms, corn and black beans. 


1. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, soup, chilies, and olives. Set aside 1-1/2 cups for topping. Add the chicken, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese to remaining soup mixture.
2. Spoon about 13 cup chicken mixture down the center of eat tortilla; roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a 13X9in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with reserved soup mixture.
3. Bake uncovered, at 350 for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; top with onions. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.


This was simple and amazingly delicious!

Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies

Yields: 4-1/2 dozen


2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1-2/3 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup chopped pecans


preheat oven: 350 
Combine: flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Top dollops with more chips.
Bake: 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes.

Hummus

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
3 Tsp canola oil
1 Tsp Tahini
Lemon juice-to taste, the more you add the more acidic the hummus will be
1/2 clove garlic (garlic powder works just as well)
1/4 tsp cumin (I add almost 2 Tsp, because I love the way hummus tastes with tons of cumin)


Drain the beans but reserve the liquid. Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender. If it seems too dry, add some of the reserve liquid. You can add more oil instead, but that will increase the calorie intake and fat. Taste and adjust adding more things here and there. 
This is one of the BEST hummus recipes I've found, there is a Mediterranean restaurant back home in Texas that makes the best hummus I've ever had, and this recipe is the closest to natural native hummus ever!!


I also made a nice gallon pitcher of Sustain energy drink, that is fructose free, and excellent way to really and truly re-hydrate yourself after a nice work out, or time spent out in this horrendous heat!


Tonight we ate an Amy's spinach and cheese pizza, and had a side of hummus and carrots! I'm glad to be getting back to being healthy with fun foods and snacks!


Continuing with being healthy, I've gone for a long bike ride and walk this week! I'm waiting to go to Zumba with my neighbor and have something else added to my working out.
- July 9: 
work out: walk
distance: 3.54 miles
calories burned: 258
time: 1:06:05


- July 6:
work out: road cycling
distance: 5.94 miles
calories burned: 173
time: 36:27

Haiden Eli

 

We have started to give Haiden solids. The first try was awesome, and super cute...the second time we were three or four bites in and he decided he was famished, so we had to stop. 
At the beginning of this month, his 5 month mark, we started putting a bit of rice cereal into his bottles with milk, to help get his digestive system ready for the real deal of just solids. 
This resulted in his first diaper rash from a few days of some epic diapers. 
I've asked for some suggestions, and received great advice for making this transition, hopefully we can come to some sort of eating schedule, since Haiden eats on demand as of now.